Runs Created Above Average (RCAA) is the difference between a player’s runs created total and the total for an average player who used the same amount of outs. (A negative RCAA indicates a below average player in this category.)

Using the Complete Baseball Encyclopedia, I looked at how the Yankees “up the middle” (meaning their C, 2B, SS, and CF) did this past season with respect to RCAA. Here’s the answer:

PLAYER		YEAR	RCAA	PA	POS
Robinson Cano	2008	-18	634	2B
Melky Cabrera	2008	-20	453	CF
Derek Jeter	2008	-2	668	SS
Jose Molina	2008	-22	297	C

That’s pretty bad. It’s always said that winning teams are strong “up the middle.” And, in 2008, the Yankees bats “up the middle” were all below league average – and actually terrible, offensively, at C, 2B, and CF.

When was the last time that the Yankees had all four players (min 300 PA) “up the middle” with negative RCAA marks in the same season? That would be 1992:

PLAYER		YEAR	RCAA	PA	POS
Pat Kelly		1992	-9	362	2B
Matt Nokes	1992	-9	430	C
Roberto Kelly	1992	-5	632	CF
Andy Stankiewicz	1992	-8	451	SS

Note: Yes, I realize that Molina only had 297 PA in 2008 – and here I’m using 300 PA for the cutoff. Since 297 is so close to 300, I decided to round it up and use that.

Funny. The Yankees didn’t finish in first or second place this season. The last time that happened? Like this “up the middle” thing that was also in 1992.

That year – 1992 – was also the last season of a four-year period which has a strong claim towards being the worse run in the Yankees’ timeline – in terms of the team’s relative and collective shortcomings.

This all just gives you a little perspective as to how bad things were in Yankeeland this season.

For the fun out it, here’s the raw data, via the Complete Baseball Encyclopedia, of my Yankees “up the middle” research going back to 1973:

PLAYER		YEAR	RCAA	PA	POS
Robinson Cano	2008	-18	634	2B
Melky Cabrera	2008	-20	453	CF
Derek Jeter	2008	-2	668	SS
Robinson Cano	2007	11	669	2B
Jorge Posada	2007	47	589	C
Melky Cabrera	2007	-14	612	CF
Derek Jeter	2007	19	714	SS
Robinson Cano	2006	21	508	2B
Jorge Posada	2006	23	545	C
Johnny Damon	2006	26	671	CF
Derek Jeter	2006	52	715	SS
Robinson Cano	2005	-5	551	2B
Jorge Posada	2005	7	546	C
Bernie Williams	2005	-17	546	CF
Derek Jeter	2005	28	752	SS
Miguel Cairo	2004	1	408	2B
Jorge Posada	2004	18	547	C
Bernie Williams	2004	4	651	CF
Derek Jeter	2004	14	721	SS
Alfonso Soriano	2003	32	734	2B
Jorge Posada	2003	37	588	C
Bernie Williams	2003	3	521	CF
Derek Jeter	2003	24	542	SS
Alfonso Soriano	2002	34	741	2B
Jorge Posada	2002	13	598	C
Bernie Williams	2002	47	699	CF
Derek Jeter	2002	23	730	SS
Alfonso Soriano	2001	-8	614	2B
Jorge Posada	2001	12	557	C
Bernie Williams	2001	37	633	CF
Derek Jeter	2001	32	686	SS
Chuck Knoblauch	2000	-5	457	2B
Jorge Posada	2000	35	624	C
Bernie Williams	2000	34	616	CF
Derek Jeter	2000	35	679	SS
Chuck Knoblauch	1999	36	715	2B
Jorge Posada	1999	-2	437	C
Bernie Williams	1999	64	697	CF
Derek Jeter	1999	77	739	SS
Chuck Knoblauch	1998	5	706	2B
Jorge Posada	1998	4	409	C
Bernie Williams	1998	49	578	CF
Derek Jeter	1998	35	694	SS
Joe Girardi	1997	-19	433	C
Bernie Williams	1997	49	591	CF
Derek Jeter	1997	10	748	SS
Mariano Duncan	1996	7	417	2B
Joe Girardi	1996	-12	471	C
Bernie Williams	1996	32	641	CF
Derek Jeter	1996	3	654	SS
Pat Kelly		1995	-15	310	2B
Mike Stanley	1995	6	470	C
Bernie Williams	1995	27	648	CF
Tony Fernandez	1995	-21	438	SS
Pat Kelly		1994	-8	329	2B
Mike Stanley	1994	20	333	C
Bernie Williams	1994	16	475	CF
Mike Gallego	1994	-6	357	SS
Pat Kelly		1993	-7	451	2B
Mike Stanley	1993	37	491	C
Bernie Williams	1993	-2	628	CF
Mike Gallego	1993	7	465	SS
Pat Kelly		1992	-9	362	2B
Matt Nokes	1992	-9	430	C
Roberto Kelly	1992	-5	632	CF
Andy Stankiewicz	1992	-8	451	SS
Steve Sax		1991	10	707	2B
Matt Nokes	1991	6	493	C
Roberto Kelly	1991	7	543	CF
Alvaro Espinoza	1991	-19	509	SS
Steve Sax		1990	-9	680	2B
Bob Geren		1990	-15	303	C
Roberto Kelly	1990	9	686	CF
Alvaro Espinoza	1990	-29	472	SS
Steve Sax		1989	8	717	2B
Don Slaught	1989	-7	392	C
Roberto Kelly	1989	13	496	CF
Alvaro Espinoza	1989	-21	544	SS
Willie Randolph	1988	-12	474	2B
Don Slaught	1988	8	358	C
Claud. Washington	1988	16	485	CF
Rafael Santana	1988	-23	521	SS
Willie Randolph	1987	22	543	2B
Rick Cerone	1987	-10	327	C
Rickey Henderson	1987	36	440	CF
Wayne Tolleson	1987	-22	398	SS
Willie Randolph	1986	9	601	2B
Rickey Henderson	1986	28	701	CF
Willie Randolph	1985	5	597	2B
Butch Wynegar	1985	-3	375	C
Rickey Henderson	1985	77	654	CF
Bobby Meacham	1985	-22	566	SS
Willie Randolph	1984	11	664	2B
Butch Wynegar	1984	-1	512	C
Omar Moreno	1984	-7	382	CF
Bobby Meacham	1984	-6	418	SS
Willie Randolph	1983	2	477	2B
Butch Wynegar	1983	17	357	C
Jerry Mumphrey	1983	-3	302	CF
Roy Smalley	1983	17	520	SS
Willie Randolph	1982	4	643	2B
Rick Cerone	1982	-18	329	C
Jerry Mumphrey	1982	18	533	CF
Roy Smalley	1982	12	565	SS
Willie Randolph	1981	-4	422	2B
Jerry Mumphrey	1981	11	350	CF
Willie Randolph	1980	42	642	2B
Rick Cerone	1980	1	575	C
Bobby Brown	1980	-2	446	CF
Bucky Dent	1980	-5	553	SS
Willie Randolph	1979	6	682	2B
Thurman Munson	1979	-3	419	C
Mickey Rivers	1979	-1	307	CF
Bucky Dent	1979	-21	490	SS
Willie Randolph	1978	18	596	2B
Thurman Munson	1978	0	666	C
Mickey Rivers	1978	2	604	CF
Bucky Dent	1978	-14	415	SS
Willie Randolph	1977	6	624	2B
Thurman Munson	1977	17	638	C
Mickey Rivers	1977	19	594	CF
Bucky Dent	1977	-13	540	SS
Willie Randolph	1976	6	500	2B
Thurman Munson	1976	18	665	C
Mickey Rivers	1976	28	613	CF
Fred Stanley	1976	-6	306	SS
Sandy Alomar Sr.	1975	-17	528	2B
Thurman Munson	1975	21	661	C
Thurman Munson	1974	3	571	C
Elliott Maddox	1974	24	550	CF
Jim Mason		1974	-3	487	SS
Horace Clarke	1973	-20	650	2B
Thurman Munson	1973	27	576	C
Bobby Murcer	1973	28	672	CF
Gene Michael	1973	-25	446	SS